Abraham is willing to sacrifice his only son at God's request. Without question...or, at least, any question recorded or uttered. How has the guy who worried about being killed for his wife become the man who is willing to sacrifice the son of promise? What changed him?
this is one of the hardest stories for me to comprehend in the Bible. Abraham gets up early in the morning to sacrifice his son. There's no stalling. No lingering and drawing things out in hopes of a stay of execution, a last-minute call from the governor. He doesn't sleep in late or take time fiddling with the gear or having a second helping of breakfast. They're up and on their way. I wonder what Abraham and Isaac talked about as they traveled to the mountaintop? Getting to the top of a mountain isn't easy or quick. There's plenty of time to talk and meditate and question. What is Abraham thinking as they labor up the mountain? Was he reliving all of the moments he and Isaac had shared growing up? Thinking about Sarah's laughter when she heard and all the laughter since that moment watching Isaac grow up? Was he savoring every second with his son on this Earth? Was he hoping and praying...for what? Was he screaming out to God inside? Was he praying that he could take his sons place? That he would wake up from this nightmare? Was he looking for a way to escape, a way to run away from God? Or is this guy, who technically could call his wife his sister, was he trying to figure out a way to sacrifice his son without really sacrificing him? Or did Abraham know that his God would not let his son die or, that even if He did, He could raise him from the dead. Did he just know God and the nature of God that well?
And I can't help but think of another Father who prepared to sacrifice His son on a hillside. The journey to Golgotha was slow and agonizing, too. What was God thinking? Was he torn and screaming inside and looking for another way out? Did He relive every, every moment of His perfect sons life on Earth? Both fathers had it in their power to do something other than sacrifice their sons. In both cases it was God who provided for the sacrifice.
As a father of two sons, this is the most amazing story in the Bible. As a writer, it's also an amazing piece of foreshadowing.
I have a confession to make. This year I'll be 50 (that's not the confession part -- that's a fact). One of my weaknesses is that I often don't finish what I set out to do. There are projects around the house started but not completed, left unfinished, things I wanted to do with my kids that remain undone, ideas and dreams I've wanted to pursue that remain just ideas and dreams, books I've started that I haven't finished writing. Why? Part of it is the curse of creativity -- you're always coming up with things. Part of it is my inherent curiosity with everything -- but once that curiosity has been satisfied, I'm on to the next interesting thing. And there are so many interesting things in this world to find out about. My curiosity makes me good at what I do but problematic to live with...even for me. Part of it is laziness -- it's more fun having ideas. Seeing things through is hard work. That's why I have a special admiration for the doers of this world. Anyway, add to my inability to complete things the fact that, I'm a writer and, therefore, naturally an avid reader. (Hold on, there's a point here.) As a writer/reader, I read at least 50 books or more through and the parts of many, many more as well as countless newspaper articles, magazines, websites, blogs, e-zines, etc. It's almost an addiction for me. Well, I guess it is an addiction. I can't seem to go anywhere without a book I'm reading in my possession in case there is a moment to read. From hiking to hopping trains, I've always had a book with me. I honestly related better to books than I do to people. All that...all of that...and I'm ashamed to say that my addiction or faith or curiosity has never, never,never led me to read the Bible from cover to cover. I'm sure that during a lifetime in the church I've read read most of it. I've never just sat down and read the whole thing. That's my confession and not something I'm proud of. I grew up "in the church" and have gone to church mostly three times a week as far back as memory serves me. I'm the son of two generations of God-fearing, Bible-reading-and-studying men, a graduate of a Christian university and a former teacher at a Christian school. And I've never read the Bible through. Why? I love to read and I enjoy reading the Bible when I read it. So why?
Maybe it's the aforementioned laziness. Maybe it's because I seemed to find that those who read their Bibles religiously in my fellowship were often the folks to use what they read to condemn (in love, of course) the world, other Christians of other denominations and other Church-of-Christers of differing viewpoints. (That's probably a cop-out reason but still something I think about.) Maybe it's because I find what God wants and expects of us is very plain and easy to understand. And so hard to do. His word is plain to me. And I've neglected to go back to His word because I still haven't got what I know already right. (Of course, in truth, that's why you go back to God's word -- not to know more but for the power to do what you know.) Or maybe it's all of the above, God, forgive me and help me make it through your book...and end up on the other side of this year changed...and without a club.
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